The present invention is described in the context of the world wide web. However, the present invention may find application in any networked environment where one or more remote vendor product/service databases are accessible to a local user. In such environments, vendors can provide user accessible databases (for example commercial websites) which allow a local user to view information related to the products/services and purchase those products/services. In the following discussion the primary context will be the internet and the world wide web.
As the internet is becoming more commercially oriented, providers of products/services are exploring ways to promote and sell a wide range or products and services, Such efforts to date have generally taken the form of a vendor (or vendor company) establishing a website on a machine connected to the internet.
Such websites generally have a display and purchase functionality which is limited to a "filling in an order form" type of approach. A website is, in general terms, a server application which accepts connections from client programs. Client programs, such as browsers, allow a remote user to access the information stored on the website. Such information can include a broad range of multimedia data including textual, graphical, audio and animation information. A common client application is in the form of a web browser which, via mouse, keyboard or command line input, allows a user to `navigate` his or her way around a website.
Commercial vendor websites are similar to other types of website except that they usually incorporate functionality to enable financial transactions between the remote user and the vendor. For example, a book publisher (vendor) might create a website devoted to a range of titles. This information can be made accessible to a remote user in the form of (for example) a text-searchable database which accepts standard query language (SQL), or similar, input and provides titles matching the search criteria which the remote user can then order. The user typically provides credit card details and the product is despatched by the vendor company.
This is an adequate way of effecting commerce on the internet in situations where a user knows precisely which website to connect to. However, although a number of vendors promote or advertise web capability, increases in the use of the internet has resulted in an unmanageable amount of information being accessible to a user. If a user merely wishes to browse for a particular product, or wishes to restrict the scope of potential remote vendors sites to visit, the only practical way is to carry out a search of the web using one of the available search engines. However, such search facilities are not effective in discriminating commercial from non-commercial sites and it may be very difficult to narrow a search sufficiently so that non-vendor sites are excluded and vendor sites satisfying desired criteria are identified. It would be an advantage if there existed an integrated interface and associated method which allowed a user to select a vendor site or range of vendor sites, where that selection can be made on the basis of a users particular requirements, and where a wide variety of consumer transactions can take place in an integrated environment while accessing a wide variety of vendor locations.
Accordingly, the present invention provides for a method and apparatus for organizing and integrating commercial interactions in a networked environment whereby a local user can locate and interact with a range of remote vendor locations and purchase goods/services where the local user has a high degree of control over the location of the remote vendor locations which are accessed. The present invention further provides for an integrated environment in which commercial transactions resulting from such interactions can be effected and further provides the public with a useful choice.